Method for controlling microbiological contamination in a heat exchanger while processing a food product.

Abstract

A method for controlling microbiological contamination in a heat exchanger while using the heat exchanger to process a food product. The method includes: while processing the food product in the heat exchanger, adding a microbiological control agent to the food product at a first location; and neutralizing at least partially the microbiological control agent by adding a neutralizing agent to the food product at a second location, the second location being downstream from the first location, at least part of the heat exchanger being between the first and second locations, the neutralizing agent being operative for reducing a chemical reactivity of the microbiological control agent in the food product. The microbiological control agent controls the microbiological contamination in the heat exchanger while the food product is processed. In some embodiments, the food product is a milk product.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to the general field of food processing and is particularly concerned with a method for controlling microbiological contamination in a heat exchanger while processing a food product. For example, the food product is a milk product.BACKGROUND[0002]The well known and widely used principle of pasteurization of liquid food products is done in most food industries on a continuous flow basis using plate heat exchangers or tubular heat exchangers or a combination of plate and tubular heat exchangers. That process is also called “HTST” which stands for High Temperature Short Time. It is very important to note and remember in this whole document that pasteurization is not a sterilization process and typically kills from 99% to 99.5% (or slightly more without ever reaching 100%) of the living microorganisms that are present in the raw liquid food product.EXAMPLE #1[0003]In the production of fermented type products, such as cheese, the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a method to control microbiological contamination in heat exchangers without stopping the production of milk products. This is done by using a neutralizing agent that reduces the chemical reactivity of a microbiological control agent. The neutralizing agent is added to the milk product to reduce the impact on the quality of the product. The method also involves a process to clean or sanitize the heat exchanger to prevent further contamination. This invention allows for better control of microbiological contamination in a more efficient way.

Problems solved by technology

Also, the accumulation of attached microorganisms with their biofilms, once it starts, favors a faster and easier disadvantageous precipitation of minerals and other constituent of the milk because it provides more attachment point.

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